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Hubbard couple to share nature’s beauty again Sunday
Gallery
By LINDA M. LINONIS
linonis@vindy.com
HUBBARD
During the winter, Rodney Toth plans his gardens. In the spring and summer, he plants.
Sounds simple enough until a visitor views the expansive gardens and realizes the thought, along with the tilling and tending, that is at the root of Toth’s efforts.
“For me, gardening is relaxing and refreshing,” he said.
Toth, a retired vocal music teacher from Mineral Ridge High School, said he has gardened “all my life.” That was mostly vegetable gardening. In the 1990s, he was introduced to dahlias, and his flora world blossomed. “That opened up a new ball game for me,” he said, adding the flowers range in size from 2 to 12 inches wide. He said he was intrigued by the 20 different forms and more than 7,000 classified varieties. His favorite is the Emory Paul, a “real big dahlia.”
A member of the Men’s Garden Club of Youngstown since 1995, Toth has competed in the Mahoning Valley Dahlia Society’s flower shows, winning multiple awards. “I like the dahlias a great deal,” he said.
Toth and his wife, Kay, bought a 3-acre property on West Liberty Street in 1989. The house, built in 1921, was appealing with its rich oak-wood accents. The land and big shed opened up gardening possibilities.
For 19 years, he and his wife have hosted a garden open house for visitors. Toth said this will probably be the last year for the event, planned from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Toth’s green thumb won’t wilt, but he plans to curtail the extent of his gardens.
“It’s time-consuming,” Toth said of the year-round effort. “My wife and I want to share more time together,” the 72-year-old said. Last year the Toths marked their 50th wedding anniversary and had planned a trip to Alaska. Kay Toth was ill, so it was canceled. This year they vacationed in Hawaii for their 51st.
A sign on the toolshed states their faith — “Hallelujah! What a savior.” The Toths are members of Churchill United Methodist Church. For motorists traveling Interstate 80 east, just after the Hubbard Township limits sign, the Toths’ sign and gardens come into view for a few fleeting seconds. It’s an oasis of greens and bright colors bordering a stretch of asphalt.
The practical side of gardening involves understanding “what to plant where,” the longtime gardener said of placing shade- and sun-loving plants in correct locations. “Without God, gardens wouldn’t be possible.”
In years past, as many as 600 open house visitors have walked through the gardens. Toth said he expects that number this year. In the rows of dahlias, they’ll see flowers with flat and curved petals and be astounded by some blossoms measuring 12 inches in diameter. “The differences make them so interesting,” Toth said.
The Great Gourd Tunnel boasts apple, maranka, long, shake, canteen, Indonesian bottle and birdhouse. Visitors will weave their way around hanging gourds of different sizes and shapes. Nearby are the Gremlin Gourds with distinctive bumps.
Vegetable gardeners will find edible delights in the Great Tomato Forest, where Toth said there are Italian plum, Wapsipinicon Peach Tomato complete with fuzz, a strawberry-shaped tomato, and Big Zac, Toth’s favorite.
The Super Sky High Sunflower Garden reaches 15 feet with some of the varieties, while others are about 11⁄2 feet. Toth is partial to Wawaooh!, Shockolot and Super Ted.
The Grandchildren’s Garden pays tribute to the Toth’s five grandsons and one granddaughter. For Cole, Toth planted coleus; for Caden, megaton cabbage (“he’s a big guy”); for Corey, coreopsis; for Micah, moonsong marigolds; for Teagan, Big Zac; and for Bethany, nicknamed “Bees,” beans called rattlesnake and cobra growing on a tower.
Chinese Amaranth Garden combines with three varieties of castor beans – black, red and green, while the Potpourri Pole features Chayote squash and Mexican flame vine. A coleus patch highlights its range of leaf colors, marigold rows include varieties such as alumia, First Lady and snowball, and there are five kinds of elephant ear foliage.